


Trail of Flowers

by Sachi_Grace



Series: To Catch a Liar [4]
Category: Dangan Ronpa - All Media Types, New Dangan Ronpa V3: Everyone's New Semester of Killing
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Fluff, Language of Flowers, M/M, Phantom Thief AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-06
Updated: 2020-07-06
Packaged: 2021-03-04 19:41:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,422
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25101814
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sachi_Grace/pseuds/Sachi_Grace
Summary: Day 4: Flowers/Travel/Fantasy AUShuichi has been on the prowl of his thief for months now and was gifted a new calling card of a purple carnation. While trying to puzzle out the meaning of the flower, as well as the reasoning as to why the thief stole the Pin of Nanami, there's a certain purple-haired boy that is bound and determined to make things more confusing than they already are.
Relationships: Oma Kokichi/Saihara Shuichi
Series: To Catch a Liar [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1808653
Comments: 4
Kudos: 56
Collections: SaiOuma Week 2020





	Trail of Flowers

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much to SaiOuma Week 2020 for hosting this event. I'm sorry that I was so late with this one. A lot of things decided to kick off all at once, I should be right on track now before late submissions close AH!

Shuichi picked up the purple flower from where the pin of Namami used to be displayed. There were no signs of broken glass, and the doors that were once sealed shut had been found wide open. The place was blocked off, sealed away from windows, and had several different security cameras that all had been shut off during the time of the heist. There was one way in and one way out, and no guards were able to catch him. All had been distracted during the time of the scene. Someone had been causing a ruckus on the third floor. When they had got there, there had been no one to be found. Blaming it on supernatural reasons, they went back to their posts, only to discover this.

The pin was worth more than weight in gold, considering it was an artifact of a hundred years ago during the Empire. Yet, it was not something Shuichi would have thought a thief would go after. He twirled the purple flower around a few times. He would have to see if any of his coworkers would have an understanding of what it could mean. As for right now, Shuichi thought of if he was dealing with someone who knew invisibility magic or illusion magic. 

His magic did not pick up any clues. He usually could see through even the most clever disguises, but there was nothing to pick apart. He walked away from the scene of the crime and walked through the museum. He was trying to get into headspace his thief could have been in. How did he get past the guards so quickly? He knew how to lockpick his way in. The scrapes on the keyhole attested that the thief did not have any magic regarding that. Shuichi cupped his mouth as he walked through the museum, his eyes casually glancing down hallways. His thief was cunning. Not wanting to stick around to be caught, but reckless as he would break into the most secure area of the museum. His motives were unclear, but Shuichi could gather that he was a risk-taker, someone who was addicted to the feel of adrenaline. 

This was the third time that they had countered each other in a couple of months. The thief's calling card used to be a joker that was taken from a deck of cards. To be left, a purple carnation was interesting. Shuichi knew that the thief might be trying to say something, like a hint. 

If they were going to start communicating in code, then Shuichi was going to have to spend time researching and understanding what it meant. For now, he carried it delicately and kept his mind open to possibilities.

X

The next day when the sun was at the highest peak, Shuichi quickly made his way downtown. The crowd of people that were walking through made Shuichi wish that he didn't have to go this far, but it was the only way to reach him anymore. That and he missed his friend. It wasn't often he got to spend time in town before being swept away to another area. His thief usually found something shiny that attracted his gaze, and the chase would begin again. He dodged people with an expert type of grace, moving so that he wouldn't run into anyone and found the greenhouse that was not too far from the shopping district.

It still amazed him to this day that his dearest friend could be both an astronomer and a florist. They were not the two jobs one would think they'd have at the same time. He entered through the greenhouse, the gentle jingling of the bell overhead catching anyone's attention that he had walked in.

The collection of flowers and plants was overwhelming; there were tables and stands full of different types of greenery and flowers. The vast mixture of scents would make anyone's head spin in different directions. Some of the more delicate flowers were kept in different sections of the place. The flowers that needed sun and higher temperatures were found further in the back where the most sun was located.

He saw some flowers that looked similar to the one that was found at the crime scene. Curiosity piqued, Shuichi meandered over towards the display, hands in his pocket as he gazed at the petals. He noticed that there was a sign that called them carnations. Shuichi's hand cupped around his mouth in thought. He didn't recall any spell that would require the flower petals. 

"Hey, Saihara!"

He jolted out his thoughts and turned towards the voice, "Hello, Momota-san." He greeted as the florist approached. "It has been a while."

"It has!" Kaito grinned. His goatee had stayed the same throughout the years, but Shuichi found himself impressed that he was no longer wearing his hair in a singular spiked style. Instead, the purple locks were draped over his face, making him appear like age. His purple starry cloak hadn't changed, but the pipe was more ornate. Shuichi could deduce that Maki had bought it for him as a gift. He reached over and grabbed Shuichi firm by the shoulders, wrapping him into a hug that Shuichi felt squeeze the air out of his lungs. He patted his friend on the back a few times, soaking up the warmth before they parted. "HaruMaki is going to be so angry that she missed you."

Maki was a traveler like Shuichi in regard. Only her path was more coated in blood, and Shuichi was hoping for the best outcome. "I am sad to have missed her as well." Shuichi's smile was wistful. He would not mind hearing Maki berating him for not thinking of more than one possible way the thief could have gotten away with such a prized possession. If anyone could determine a good escape route that Shuichi could not foresee, it was her. "How is she?"

"You know how she is, always off doing her own thing. No assassin work, though, if you are worried about it, Saihara. This time it is a little more personal than that. Do not fret!" He gave him a thumbs up and a cheerful smile that made Shuichi's spirits feel lighter at seeing it. "She would not want you to be worried about her when she is off doing her own thing. That being said, you were looking pretty upset at the flowers." He nodded his head towards the cluster of carnations. "What? Did they insult you or something?"

"Ah no," Shuichi denied quickly, "If anyone would know that, it would be you with the flower speak. I found one at a scene that I am investigating." He reached into his pocket and pulled out the purple flower that was inside a plastic bag. He handed it to Kaito, who took it with a ginger touch. "Do you know what it could mean?"

"The flower itself or the meaning behind the flower? I can not talk to dead plants, you know." Kaito hummed as he looked at the flower. "It's a purple carnation. It normally means someone accused of being capricious."

"I do not recall ever accusing the thief as such…" Shuichi trailed off. "Not to his face, anyway."

"Hmm. Your thief may have eyes and ears on your team and heard it that way. I know my sidekick though, you will be able to solve this no problem." Kaito handed the bag back to Shuichi, with an encouraging smile. 

"I am not sure, but that's a strong possibility that I am watched. I do not work with people often, so I can not say who could be watching me so closely." Shuichi frowned slightly in thought, "Thank you for the encouragement, Momota-kun. You always have something inspiring to say."

"No problem." Kaito beamed, "So, what did they steal this time?"

"They stole the Pin of Nanami."

"Who the fuck thought that was a good idea?!" Kaito hissed. "That is practically a memorial. No one is ever even allowed to go inside to look at it!"

"I know. That is what bothers me about the case too. How did they get in? They do not have any lockpicking magic; they did that traditionally." Shuichi agreed, "and the security cameras and alarm spells were all disabled. I had a hunch that illusion magic was at play since the guards claimed to have heard something on the third floor, but nothing came of it. They returned to the door, and it was open. The pin was missing, and the flower there."

"Nothing to show anyone coming in or out through the tapes?" Kaito questioned, and Shuichi shook his head. "Sounds like illusion magic to me. Maybe Himiko sold off some invisibility potions or something."

"I do not know if Yumeno-san would give something away like that. Her mana is costly, and so is her magic. Chabashira-san would throw a fit if anyone thought to ask more than she could give." Shuichi frowned. 

Kaito hummed thoughtfully, "I do not know, Saihara, but you are my sidekick, so I know you are going to figure it out." He lightly punched Shuichi's shoulder, knocking his balance off slightly. Shuichi smiled fondly at the gesture of affection. "Keep in touch and stay in town for a bit before that thief comes and drags your attention away. HaruMaki should not be away for too long, and she would murder me if I let you go before she could say hello."

"I will do my best to stay around town." Shuichi offered. It was the least he could give.

X

The hotel that he was staying at used to be a tavern that was part of the Underground Road. It had been used to funnel survivors of the war to their neighboring country. The history leaked through the pictures that hung on pristine light blue walls. The hotel was refurbished, but they kept some of the original together. The bar that Shuichi was sitting in had not lost its charm. The wood was from the period, creaked and well-polished. The furniture needed to be updated, so the chairs were the only things that were replaced. The tables still kept the knife marks and bullet holes. The bar itself had a well-rounded stock of alcohol lined up, light-catching on the glass from the chandelier. Shuichi regularly did not drink, but he had dabbled a little in mixology back when he had been trying to figure out where his interests laid. Solving petty crimes brought more pleasure. It was better than trying to solve a murder. 

Considering the time of day, Shuichi found himself pleasantly alone in the company of the barkeep that was more than happy to stay away and silent. The conversation was not needed, and Shuichi was glad that he could keep to himself and his thoughts as he ate, and tried to gather strength. He was currently trying to bring his tired mind to rest while reading a book he brought for the traveling sections of his journey. The mystery was grappling, and Shuichi was trying to puzzle out the clues to see if he could reach a conclusion before the protagonist could. So far, he determined that the protagonist did indeed have magic, but on the lesser-known scale. It was inspired by President Naegi, whose magic was rare enough. It rivaled Servent's back in the day. 

"Hey, hey!" A loud voice suddenly broke through Shuichi's thoughts, and he mourned the loss of being sucked into the story as he turned to see a boy with purple hair grinning, holding his hand up as though he was a student. A checkered scarf was wrapped tightly around his neck. "Can I get some tea? Thanks, you're a doll!" He chirped as the barkeep just sighed and went into the back. His attention turned quickly onto Shuichi, and the detective instantly knew that he was going to miss the silence that had been his friend for the past few minutes. "Is that book any good?"

"Ah um...yes." Shuichi stuttered a little, taken back by the conversation. "I am enjoying it so far."

"Hmmm, it looks to be a bit boring." The boy hummed as he tilted his head to catch the title. Shuichi gave him some mercy and held the book up for him to see the words correctly. "Mystery hm? Are you inspiring to be a detective or something? So that you know, they are hard people to work with! They want the cream of the top and no better!"

"I know. I am one." Shuichi felt his cheeks color. 

"Eh? No lie?!" The boy's eyes sparkled, Shuichi could swear he saw real stars. Whether that was glamor or if he just had a shapeshifting ability, it was hard to tell. He noticed that there was a white square of gauze that was taped to his cheek. "Wow! I respect the police and detectives. You all work so hard, and for no thanks whatsoever. Do you not think that is cruel?!"

"I...uh…" Shuichi wished he was more articulate. The conversation was tossing him for a loop. How was he supposed to respond to such flattery when he was not sure if he was even a good detective? 

It did not matter anyway; the boy did not seem to be perturbed by the lack of an answer. "My name is Kokichi Ouma. I'm the Supreme Leader of an evil organization. We might be rivals!"

"Should you be telling a detective that?" Shuichi paused for a moment. "That...was not a lie."

"Hmm? Which part was not a lie? The fact that I'm a leader or the fact that my organization is evil? I do not lie lies or jokes."

"That was a lie," Shuichi confirmed.

"Ew! Ew! You have truth magic!" Kokichi immediately stuck his tongue out at the realization. Shuichi felt a burn of shame go through him, and he turned back, forcing his book open with a little more of a snap than necessary. "Aw, did the detective's feelings hurt? I'm sowwy. That's a lie, though did you figure that one out yourself, I wonder?! I find the truth magic thing pretty~ interesting if I do say so myself." Shuichi's head was spinning. How...could, both of those statements, feel like a lie, yet be true? Shuichi carefully shut his book shut again to give the boy his attention, now that his interest piqued. 

His hoodie was white, but with stains on the cuff. His hair was sticking out all over the place untamed and carefree. For some reason, Shuichi had a hunch that said more about his character than any sentence he could ever utter. "My name is Shuichi Saihara. It is nice to meet you, Ouma-kun."

"Nishsishi! Wow, such formality! You must really be getting a lot of the ladies with that!" Kokichi teased, "But that is a lie. Saihara-chan feels to be the loner type. You probably stutter when a girl comes up and says that she likes you and then forget how to respond. Then you appear rude, and the girl goes bye-bye. Awww what a shame!!!"

Shuichi was a bit amused, "You were almost right."

"I do not see a wedding ring, so I can not be wrong." Kokichi countered. "So tell me, Saihara-chan, what brought you to our small town of nothing doing?"

"I...am here on a case is all," Shuichi said simply.

"Which case? Sorry, I do not keep up with any murders. Violence is not my thing, and I detest murders the most."

Nothing about that was a lie. For a person who ran an "evil" organization, those two things would have gone hand in hand. Shuichi was starting to wonder if Kokichi had an ability that canceled his truth magic. No, that couldn't be right, could it? Possibly overthinking things, he decided to put that question aside. "No. I do not usually handle murders."

"Hmm? Then what are you chasing down? A phantom thief that managed to walk away for years on end?!" Kokichi beamed. "The chase around the city, the exhilarating feel of just  _ almost  _ but it was  _ not quite _ ? It is hard to hold it together when you are on edge like that."

Shuichi did not know how to respond. The barkeep reappeared with the pot of tea and a cup. Kokichi poured it himself. "Tell me, Saihara-chan, had the thief hit our town this time?" 

Now he was starting to suspect that this conversation had been a build-up for this reason. He should have listened to his skepticism when the boy first sat down next to him. Shuichi did not doubt that the information about the thief would have traveled by now. As much as he tried to keep his case secret, the thief was a loud and outspoken one. Not a person in sight was not curious about the thief. They would be buzzing for quite some time when they discover that the thief was daring, cunning enough to get to the Pin of Nanami.

They would also demand his head on a pike for the insolence. "No." Shuichi decided simply, and he watched the boy's eyes narrow. "No, he has not hit yet, or if he has, then I do not know what he took."

"Now, I am curious. Are we not talking about the same thief? Can you imagine if there were two of them?" Kokichi commented as he picked up his teacup. He blew against the rim, before sipping. "Imagine if there were two thieves, and one of them managed to steal something bigger than the other. Which, Saihara-chan, could be true. How would you know which one to go after?"

"I have solved a case where there were two thieves in the same town that hit at the same time. They had no idea of each other. I took the original case, but I solved that one in my spare time." Shuichi admitted, "So the trick of the question wouldn't be who stole something bigger. Just who had my attention first. Ah, but that depends on what the something big was."

"So, if someone stole the Pin of Nanami?"

Shuichi paused, his demeanor turning stiff. He looked over at Kokichi, who was smiling carefree. Kokichi's legs swinging against the chair, he could hear the rapid  _ thump, thump,  _ in tune to how he kicked. "Considering it is a national treasure," Shuichi picked his words carefully, "then I would have no choice but to go after the thief."

"Is this your first time encountering such a person?" Kokichi hummed. "I heard that there is a thief that goes around leaving flowers at the scene of the crime."

Who was giving this boy that information? Nothing he was saying was false, but Shuichi could not help but think that there was more to it than just lucky guesses. Was he fishing for information? "You work for the thief," Shuichi decided to say instead, "or you know the thief personally, and you are trying to gauge how much I know."

"What?!" Kokichi recoiled with tears at the corner of his eyes. Guilt hit Shuichi hard as he watched them begin to fall in a rapid waterfall. "I was sincere in asking you questions! How could Mister Detective be so rude?! I am falsely accused! How mean!"

"I ah…" He should have kept his mouth shut is what he should have done. "I am sorry?"

"Nishishi!" The tears instantaneously disappeared. The smile replaced as though there was no hint to anything wrong. "You know, you were not too far off from the mark if I do say so myself." He grinned mischievously with a finger pressed against his lips. "I am studying the case too."

"No. You are not another investigator. I would have known this town had one and passed the case to you so you could get a head start." Shuichi frowned at his answer.

"Would you? I think that's a lie, Saihara-chan, and you are a terrible liar." Kokichi took another sip of his tea, "Unless did the thief bore you? Was the case not as entertaining as it could have been?"

"No...this case is…" Shuichi did not want to admit that he had been right about the pin being stolen. He did not need the sudden outrage or the anger that would spread. He glanced at the barkeep, who was far from the conversation, but close in case they needed something. Kokichi's voice carried through the hotel, and he did not trust the conversion to stay between them both. He wanted to go back to reading; he was beginning to regret opening his mouth to speak about this.

"Hm? This case is?" Kokichi prompted.

"Intriguing." 

"That is it?" 

Shuichi pondered, what more could there be for him to say about it? Kokichi hummed before he pushed the pot of tea away and got up from his spot. "You are boring, Saihara-chan." He declared, and before Shuichi could think of anything to say, the boy spoke, "Bye-bye now!" He fled the hotel before Shuichi could think of anything to say. 

"Will you be paying for that pot of tea?" The barkeep asked, sounding defeated.

Shuichi pinched the bridge of his nose, "I am sorry. Yeah, I will cover for him." That boy would owe him the next time they met.

X

If the Pin of Nanami was anything to go by, Shuichi had a hunch as to what could be the thief's next job. If the thief was wanting to get riskier and was trying to push his boundaries, then Shuichi had a hunch. The next thing he might try for was either the Collar of the Servant who was on an island and hidden deep into the depths of the catacombs. He could also be after the Swordmaster's Katana, which was displayed in a family home back when it used to be a crime syndicate. The guards on both areas were tight-knit, and the Sword was closer by than the island. The thief did not deal with predictability, though, that was something Shuichi was beginning to learn. 

The Collar would be too tempting, but the thief may leave it alone due to the location rumored to be underground. The Sword had its own siren's call, but the guards there were trained underneath Pekoyama's regime back when she was alive. Both required a sharp mind and quick wit. Both paths were deadly, but which one was the safest route? It did not help that Shuichi was not anywhere closer to figuring out what the thief could have as an ability.

Shuichi got himself up from the bed and sat on the edge, the streetlights quickly pouring into the darkened room. The silhouettes of the furniture helped keep him grounded as he let his thoughts try to sort themselves out. He did not want to turn on any of the lights; however, his fingers twitched, wishing for a pen and paper so that he could write his ideas and see where they would take him. It was not the string and photographs most investigators used, but it was enough.

Calling defeat against being able to sleep, Shuichi reached over and turned the light on, reflectively shutting his eyes to the bright bulb. He pried his eyes open slowly, allowing them to adjust to the sudden change. He pushed himself off of the bed. He walked to the desk that was against the darker corner of the room. His head was starting to pound, and he wished that he brought something with him to stave off the oncoming migraine. He pulled the pad of paper that the hotel provided close to him, and clicked the pen a few times, letting it fill the silence before he started to write.

The boy had been intriguing to him—a contradiction of lies and truths. Even though Shuichi could see through his lies, and knew when he was telling the truth, the boy was able to say statements that could feel like  _ both. _ No one could pull a half-lie that could go unnoticed by his type of magic unless Shuichi had made a mistake and did not feel his magic out properly when the boy spoke. Being a living lie-detector made things automatic, so it would be easy to assume he would have caught it. However, Shuichi clicked the pen several times, which may not have been the case.

Kokichi Ouma. He knew something about the thief. He knew something about the case. It was too uncanny for him to mention the Pin of Namami. No one would think of stealing such a prized possession. They would have assumed that a painting had gone missing or a different artifact, not something that was regarded so highly to the public. Kokichi, on the other hand, picked it as though it was a common thought for thieves. 

Could Kokichi have a connection to the thief? Had the thief been curious to see what Shuichi thought about his calling card, and sent one of his lackeys to meet with him? No. That sounded far from the truth. Kokichi said it himself; he was a leader. A leader who had an organization of evil. Something about that statement sat wrong with him. He twirled the pen around in his fingers, trying to urge the thoughts to continue. That was where the half-lie came in.

What was the lie, being a leader, or having an organization? Both? The evil intent behind them? He paused in his tapping as the thought began to stir. If there were such an organization, Shuichi would have come across them before. Evil would have been on his radar long before this. He would not be able to do much about it, granted that his abilities weren't anything to be proud of. He was only a lie-detector. His magic was only to seek the truth and nothing more. Yet, he had connections he couldn't deny, and if someone needed him to stand in and listen to the leader confess or interrogate, then he would have been there. He was one of the few who could.

He finally set his pen down. "Kokichi Ouma is the Phantom Thief." He said aloud. That sounded true. He couldn't tell if it was since he had no evidence to back the claim. Yet his instinct tightened around the phrase, as though to say that it was correct. If he was going to rely on that as his lead, then he spoke aloud again, "He left the flower at the scene of the crime." 

For what purpose? What message could Kokichi possibly be sending with a purple carnation? 

"He's going to steal the sword." No, that was wrong. Kokichi said it himself; he was against violence. "He's going to go after the collar." 

He had a good six hours head-start.

Shuichi needed to leave and leave now if he was ever going to hope to catch up.

X

The island itself was an attraction all on its own. The original buildings still stood as monuments and entertainment centers. There were little to no laws about what kinds of magic were able to be cast publicly. Shuichi had seen plenty of color-changing drinks, shapeshifting hair colors, and people deciding to use a float spell to get to places rather than walking. The clothes that the locals wore were vastly different from the foreigners that arrived. The locals tended to less, showing more skin, and plenty of them mostly wore decorative bras, long silk skirts, or shorts. The colors that they dyed with were vibrant and rich, easily seen through the mass of muted and dull clothes of the different foreigners that were around. Shuichi was quite thankful for them to be noticeable. It made things easier when he needed to find a hotel, which happened to be on the smallest island in the middle of the cluster. The popularity of the island would make it easy for the thief to come in and out of.

He had managed to get a cottage for the time by the scrape of his teeth. The same room that one of the Sixteen had stayed in previously. Some considered the place to have apparitions and other ghostly phenomena that happened inside the walls. Plenty of mediums, necromancers, and different sorts tried to stay in the cottages and coax the spirits of the dead to speak to them. There was yet to be a single person that made contact as far as the rumor was concerned. Shuichi had heard through the grapevine that there were people who attempted and swore to never speak about the experiences. It would be a story right up Korekiyo's alley, but Shuichi had a different mystery to solve. 

"Saihara-kun?"

The name sounded familiar, and Shuichi turned to see a man approaching him as he just tuned from the front desk to start heading out to the cottages. "Amami-kun! You look good." The man had several more piercings on his ear than he had the last time they had spoken. His skin had plenty of colors, and the smell of the sea clung to him like cologne. He dressed much like one of the locals, which caused him to blend effortlessly with the background. His chest tanned from the days he spent sailing, and he had on a colorful pair of shorts.

"I thought I recognized you," Rantaro grinned as he made it to him. He held his hand up for a fist bump, which accepted shyly. "How have you been?"

"Working as of now. What of you, Amami-kun? Any luck finding your sisters?" Shuichi felt another twinge of guilt. While he was trying to find the thief and bring him to justice, he had not heard a thing about the missing siblings that Rantaro was trying to find. Unfortunately, Rantaro shook his head as well. Luck was not on their side, and Shuichi did not want either of them to give up.

It has been five years now. The leads were more than cold.

"I will keep searching regardless. I know you are trying to do your own thing, so do not sweat it." Rantaro told him. "What brings you here for a case? Can you talk to me about it?"

"Sure." Rantaro guided him to the upper part of the hotel, where there was a big dining hall for people to sit and eat. There were pictures of the Sixteen, the island's saviors, and the Empire's reason for rising. Shuichi's eyes caught the portrait of Chiaki Nanami and the hairpin that she wore on the side of her face. Her expression was soft, gentle, and familiar. 

He wondered for a moment if he met someone that looked like her somehow. Deciding to put that thought on the back burner, he followed Rantaro around the dining room until they found themselves an empty table. "Talk to me; maybe I can help you as you helped me." Rantaro offered.

"I…" Shuichi thought for a moment. "The Pin of Nanami was stolen, and I have reason to suspect that the thief maybe after the Collar of the Servant."

"Why?" Rantaro prompted.

"I think it has less to do with the collecting of artifacts and more of the risk-taking. He wants to be seen as a brilliant thief. He is going to take as many chances as he can before he slips up." Shuichi pressed a finger against his chin, curling it as he voiced his thoughts. "I do not know why these artifacts, though. If it was for a challenge, then that is one thing, but something is nagging at me."

"They say that the artifacts could bring about Despair again," Rantaro leaned forward as he picked his thoughts carefully. It was nice to have him as a sounding board; his knowledge of history and lore was right up there with Korekiyo. Only, the story-keeper barely walked in the same crowds Shuichi did. He longed to hear what he would have to say. "The thief could have a tie to want to bring it back."

"If so, then what is the point of coming all the way here first? The Swordmaster's Katana was close by." Shuichi frowned. "I feel like there is something that I am missing. He left me a purple carnation as well at the crime scene. He did not do that before. I do not know why he started now."

"Maybe he knows he's being followed and wants to see how much you know." Rantaro folded his arms as he looked to the side. A beat of silence before he spoke again, "Hey Saihara-chan, how much do you know about the Sixteen?"

"Just that they were the ones who brought upon the demise of Despair and were the ones to have caused it." Shuichi admitted, "My knowledge does not run deep."

"They say that those who were related to the Sixteen all died. Friends. Family. Anyone that could be considered close to them perished." Rantaro tapped his finger against the table, "It would be something if there were someone that managed to survive that, do you not think so?"

Shuichi turned his attention to the portraits again, once more zeroing in on Chiaki Nanami's face. "...It would be." He conceded, filing the information away. "Do you have any idea of where the Collar of the Servant could be located on the island?"

"No one would talk about it. I feel as though it will depend on your knowledge of history as to where it might be." 

Shuichi mulled it over just as a waitress came by to their drinks and food order.

X

"Ah! It's Saihara-chan!"

Shuichi was momentarily surprised to see Kokichi bound after him in festival attire. He had a mask that was on the side of his head and a stick of candy floss that was half-eaten. His lips and tongue painted a deep blue from the candy. Shuichi had no idea that a festival was happening and so decided to check it out if just to hear any rumors about the Collar or the thief. 

The thief in question surprisingly stood before him with a childish smirk. "Ouma-kun." Shuichi greeted. "What are you doing here?"

"Well, after our enlightening talk at the hotel, I thought I would beat the thief here." Kokichi grinned. "But that's a lie. I always had plans to come here. The festival's firework show is the best in the whole country. I wanted to see it for myself. Some people are talented in doing sparkler magic, so I am intrigued to see what they come up with. Do you have a spot all picked out to view?"

"Ah, I was not thinking of staying for the fireworks," Shuichi admitted. He had been hoping to leave before then, thinking that the thief would strike while the iron was hot, and everyone was distracted. It would be the perfect time for him to attack while everyone was looking the other way. He had a hunch that the thief might use the festival as a way to gain information about the Collar too. Shuichi had narrowed the locations down to three, but it was three too many.

Kokichi nodded somberly, "Well, too bad because now you're staying." Shuichi felt a pit of dread begin to form in his stomach. "The thief won't be able to get the Collar tonight anyway. The guards are all on double."

"That…how do you know that?" Shuichi pestered.

"Hm? How do I know the Collar is safe? Or the guards being on the double? Silly Saihara-chan, did you forget how festivals work? Anyone can take this as a chance for a distraction. You are not the only one that assumed the thief might try. Also, I was so kind that I found the leader of the country and told them to triple the guard for you! Are you not proud of me?!"

"That is a lie," Shuichi could tell instantly, "you do not know the leader of the country at all."

"Aw boo. You are ruining my fun. Hey, hey, are you any good at games?" Before Shuichi could respond, Kokichi grabbed his wrist and yanked him to the nearest booth. "Hmm...games are a lot of fun, are they not Saihara-chan? But people can be unfair about them too." Shuichi watched as Kokichi passed some money across the counter and given a few darts to break the balloons. He tossed the darts with a careful aim, and some of them bounced off, while others popped. "Nishishshi, if you had all the darts in the same sharped point, the game would be much fairer." He grinned at the worker before skipping away.

Shuichi felt as though he had no choice but to follow Kokichi around the festival, his words running through his mind. If the darts were all the same sharpness, then the game would have ended. He could not help but feel as though there was something that he was trying to say within those words, but it was hard to keep track of what that possibly could be. He broke out of his thoughts to see that Kokichi had abandoned him in the middle of the road, and he sighed. 

"Saihara-chan! Look!"

Ah, maybe not. Shuichi obliged and walked over to where one of the vendors was frying dough, sprinkling sugar on top. "Are you wanting one, Ouma-kun?" He questioned.

"Why that's so kind of you to offer! Hey Vendor! Two of the hot dough things!" Kokichi grinned as he paid once more. Shuichi had thought for a moment that he would be stuck trying to pay for the food. The vendor quickly wrapped the dough in paper and handed it to Kokichi. Kokichi gave the second one to Shuichi, who winced at the heat. "I did not mean for you to pay for that tea," Kokichi commented. "I came back, and the barkeep told me that you were generous enough to pay for it. I felt bad, and that is not a lie."

"Ah, umm….it is okay." Shuichi blew on the sweet and took a bite. There was a lot of sugar that melted in his mouth, and it was hard to swallow. Meanwhile, Kokichi had no such problems. He only winced at the heat and how it burned at his tongue. "I was not expecting you to come to find me to apologize."

"Nishishishi, caught you off guard, hmm? That is not a bad thing, you know." Kokichi grinned. "Say have you caught on to why the thief is stealing all those items anyway?"

"You mean the Pin of Nanami?" Shuichi shook his head, "I have a hunch it has something to do with...the Sixteen."

"Oh? That seems a bit boring." Kokichi clicked his tongue. "Family sentimentally, you think? Ah, you believe in that rumor, do you not? That the Sixteen have survivors that carried down their line? What if I told you, Saihara-chan, that is only partially true."

"Then, I would believe you, for now," Shuichi spoke carefully. "I did not think you were lying when you said it."

"Hmm, you are a tough one. If something is believed as fact, you have to rely on your intuition instead." Kokichi mused, "and if something is a complete lie, your magic goes haywire, huh? See Saihara-chan, after you told me that you had truth magic, I had to look that up. No one uses it the way you do. A human lie-detector. Do you not get bored of trying to tear lies apart? Have you ever thought of shutting your magic off, and see what would happen?"

Shuichi winced, "Shutting off my magic is like shutting off a river, Ouma-kun. That is not going to happen."

"You can shut a river down if there is a drought," Kokichi countered quickly, taking another bite of the sweet. "Hey, hey, you need to relax a little. You need to let loose, have fun. You are thinking sooo hard about whether or not those guards can do their job. But you do not have a clue as to where the Collar is yet, do you?"

"You are telling me you do?"

"I may or may not," Kokichi replied, and it felt too much of truth and a lie for Shuichi to say for sure what he was saying. "What I am saying is that lying is not always with malicious intent."

Shuichi let the words bounce around in his mind, trying to puzzle out what he might mean. Kokihi suddenly grabbed his hand and started to pull him through the crowd, "Keep up, Saihara-chan! We need to secure a spot for the fireworks!"

He wanted to yank his hand away from Kokichi, he wanted to go and figure out where the Collar was, and see it for himself that it was still in its secure place. Yet, Kokichi did not seem to be too concerned about it. Perhaps the thief thought that tonight was a waste anyway, and would try again when the celebration calmed down, and everyone was gone. Probably Kokichi knew where the Collar was, or maybe he did was just as lost as Shuichi.

They found the right spot a little way from the crowd. There were a few people that were on the ground with blankets and picnic baskets spread out. Kokichi guided him towards a log that was near the river. "We are closer here." He explained. "A firework show is better when you are close enough to feel it."

Shuichi had a feeling that he was going to get a migraine for sure from all of this. "Ouma-kun, what was the point of this?"

"Hm? Whaaaa? You do not know what a date looks like?" Kokichi gasped dramatically. "You mean to tell me that my little spiel when we first met was not wrong? You really are that shy around the women? Oh, Shumai, how shameful!"

Shuichi did not want to hear that from him. Nothing he said was a lie, but Shuichi could not help but feel like there was something that he was hiding. "We do not even know each other yet." 

"I see so Saihara-chan is a romantic even though he sucks at it," Kokichi grinned cheekily. "But Saihara-chan was kind enough to take me around the festival and buy me dinner." If the dough sweet was dinner, Shuichi worried for his health. "Ah, but….I guess you are not wrong about one thing." 

Shuichi tilted his head when he watched Kokihi pull apart the candy floss that he hadn't finished. He could feel the back of his teeth tingle in discomfort. He could tell that this was going to hurt. Kokichi gently pushed the candy against Shuichi's lips, and his voice was low and hypnotic. "Open your mouth."

Obeying, Shuichi parted his lips, and the taste of artificial blue raspberry coated his tongue. The candy was dissolving at the first touch of salvia. He was grateful he didn't have to chew, but he was never going to get that taste out of his mouth anytime soon. Before he could close his mouth to swallow, Kokichi got into his space and chased the candy floss with his tongue, startling Shuichi into a shocking stillness. Where was he supposed to put his hand? Kokichi wasn't holding on to him, balancing the two confectioneries in his hands as he used most of his body weight and lips to get what he wanted. Shuichi had no choice but to follow the dance that his tongue was trying to entice him to follow, licking his tongue and tasting the roof of his mouth.

However, before Shuichi could try to follow the steps, Kokichi pulled back, and there was more sugar-sweet stuck to his mouth. "Nishishishi, was that your first kiss? Did I pop your kissing cherry?"

"You had to make it weird." Shuichi sighed, "Please do not…" 

The whistle of the first firework cut through their conversation, and they both looked up at the sky to see a sparkle of red rain down upon them and then another green. The loud booms and pops kept Shuichi's attention on them, and he felt Kokichi lean against his arm, content.

The Collar was not stolen that night.

The moment Shuichi returned to the mainland, the game began again. The Sword was stolen, and a calling card the thief left behind this time was a blue calla lily and a Joker playing card in its place. 


End file.
